ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF NORWEGIAN POLAR INSTITUTE OPERATIONS IN ANTARCTICA 2021-2030 Norwegian Polar Institute 1 2 Contents PREFACE ........................................................................................................................................................ 6 1.0 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 7 1.1 History of Norwegian activity in Antarctica ........................................................................................ 7 1.1.1 The history of research in Dronning Maud land .......................................................................... 7 1.1.2 The Norwegian Antarctic Research Expeditions (NARE) .............................................................. 8 1.1.3 Establishment of Troll station ...................................................................................................... 8 1.2 Current NPI operations in Antarctica ................................................................................................ 10 1.2.1 The Norwegian Polar Institute’s formal role .............................................................................. 10 1.2.2 The Norwegian Polar Institute’s operations in Antarctica ......................................................... 10 1.2.3 Geographic area ......................................................................................................................... 11 1.3 Past assessments .............................................................................................................................. 11 1.4 Purpose of the assessment: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF NORWEGIAN POLAR INSTITUTE’S OPERATIONS IN ANTARCTICA ............................................................................................. 12 2.0 CONSIDERING THE ENVIRONMENT ...................................................................................................... 13 3.0. TROLL RESEARCH STATION .................................................................................................................. 13 3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 13 3.2. Land use and footprint ..................................................................................................................... 17 3.2.1 Description ................................................................................................................................. 17 3.2.2 Alternatives ................................................................................................................................ 20 3.2.3 Impacts ....................................................................................................................................... 21 3.3 Use of vehicles .................................................................................................................................. 23 3.3.1 Description ................................................................................................................................. 23 3.3.2 Alternatives ................................................................................................................................ 25 3 3.3 Impacts ....................................................................................................................................... 26 3.4 Waste ................................................................................................................................................ 26 3.4.1 Description ................................................................................................................................. 26 3.4.2 Alternatives ................................................................................................................................ 30 3.4.3 Impacts ....................................................................................................................................... 32 3.5 Management of fuel and hazardous substances .............................................................................. 34 3.5.1 Description ................................................................................................................................. 34 3.5.2 Alternatives ................................................................................................................................ 36 3 3.5.3 Impacts ....................................................................................................................................... 37 3.6 Power supply ..................................................................................................................................... 38 3.6.1 Description ................................................................................................................................. 38 3.6.2 Alternatives ................................................................................................................................ 39 3.6.3 Impacts ....................................................................................................................................... 40 3.7 Water supply ..................................................................................................................................... 41 3.7.1 Description ................................................................................................................................. 41 3.7.2 Alternatives ................................................................................................................................ 41 3.7.3 Impacts ....................................................................................................................................... 41 3.8 Recreational activities ....................................................................................................................... 41 3.8.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 41 3.8.2 Alternatives ................................................................................................................................ 42 3.8.3 Impact ........................................................................................................................................ 43 4.0 TOR FIELD STATION ............................................................................................................................... 43 4.1. Land use and footprint ..................................................................................................................... 44 4.1.1 Description ................................................................................................................................. 44 4.1.2 Alternatives ................................................................................................................................ 44 4.2 Waste at Tor field station ................................................................................................................. 45 4.2.1 Description ................................................................................................................................. 45 4.2.2 Alternatives ................................................................................................................................ 47 4.3 Fuel and hazardous substances at Tor station .................................................................................. 47 4.4 Water use and foodstuff ................................................................................................................... 47 4.5 Energy use and electrical power ....................................................................................................... 47 4.6 Impacts .............................................................................................................................................. 48 5.0 FIELD CAMPS ......................................................................................................................................... 51 5.1. Land use and footprint ..................................................................................................................... 51 5.2 Waste from field camps .................................................................................................................... 52 5.3 Fuel in field camps ............................................................................................................................ 53 5.4 Water use .......................................................................................................................................... 53 5.5 Energy use and electrical power ....................................................................................................... 53 5.6 Impacts .............................................................................................................................................. 54 6.0 MARINE VESSEL SUPPLY OPERATIONS .................................................................................................. 56 4 6.1 Description ........................................................................................................................................ 56 6.2 Alternatives ......................................................................................................................................